The race for state insurance commissioner pits independent Steve Poizner, who held the job as a Republican from 2007 to 2011, against state Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens.

Poizner’s background as a tech entrepreneur served him well in his first stint. He ably handled issues as varied as the cost of cleaning up after natural disasters, health insurance fraud and cybersecurity. If he hadn’t run for governor in 2010 as an unconvincing imitation of a hard-right conservative, he would have coasted to re-election as commissioner.

Lara has been an aggressive lawmaker who has played key roles in several major policy debates, but his history doesn’t qualify him for a very demanding job. He has pushed the idea that insurance companies must be pressured and expected to sell fire insurance policies to homes in high-risk areas under certain conditions. But insurance companies are not state utilities and should be able to act to reduce their exposure to heavy losses. Lara’s approach could effectively require homeowners in safe areas to subsidize the insurance costs of homeowners who choose to live in danger zones. He also touted a health-insurance-for-all bill without trying to explain how its $400 billion annual tab would be covered. It’s telling that insurance is not one of the nine issue areas where he delves into specific policy prescriptions on his personal website.

Bright and capable, Lara might do OK if elected. But Poizner’s experience makes him a far superior candidate. And his victory might lead to more centrist independents seeking office in an era in which California Republicans are routinely routed in statewide races. That would be a good thing. Voters deserve options. The more Poizner types who are willing to take on dominant Democrats, the better.